1. Precision Agriculture
John Nowatzki
Extension Ag Machine Systems Specialist

2. Precision Agriculture
• GPS Guidance and Auto-steer
• Section Control on Sprayers
• Row Control on Planters and Seeders
• Yield Monitoring
• Remote Sensing
• In-field Sensing
• Data Management
• Variable Rate Applications
• Telematics
• Robotics

3. Precision Agriculture
• Technology in Production Agriculture

4. Technology in Production Agriculture
• Farmers are Adapting Technology

5. Technology Adoption in Agriculture
• Lightbars (GPS guidance)
– Gains against overlap and marker alternatives are easily perceived
– Do take a little more investment so less adopted by small farms until
recently
• Tractor cabs
– Hard to measure gain in $ but know it’s there
• GPS-assisted steering
– Larger investment than lightbars but still easy to perceive the
advantage
– Aspects like tractor cabs (reduces stress)
“duh” technologies
Dietrich Kastens
Kansas Agricultural Research Assn.

6. Technology Adoption in Agriculture
1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009
0
20
40
60
80
100
Percent
Adoption of herbicide-tolerant crops
soybeans
cotton
corn

7. Slow Technology Adoption
1900
1910
1920
1930
1940
1950
1959
1969
1982
1992
1997
2002
2007
0
5
10
15
20
25
millions
of
horses
&
mules
0
1
2
3
4
5
millions
of
tractors
Horses/mules and tractors on U.S. Farms
horses & mules
tractors
-- 40 years --

8. Slow Technology Adoption
-- 40 years --
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Harvest year
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Percent
of
combines
Yield monitor GPS
Yield monitors and GPS
Yield monitoring is a fast moving technology
Yield mapping is a slow-moving technology

9. GPS Guidance
• GPS-assisted
• Auto-steer
• GPS Correction Options:
• Free GPS Corrections
• Commercial Options
• Continuously Operating Reference
Station (CORS) – Internet-based
• RTK

10. Section and Row Control
• Planters
• Air Seeders
Pneumatic
Electric
Planter Row
ON
Waterway

11. Precision Spraying Technology
• Boom Height Control
• Section and Nozzle Control
• Nozzle Flow Control
• Droplet Size Control
• As-Applied Maps

12. Variable Rate Fertilization
• Variable Rate Application
• Fertilizer, Seed, Variety
• Delineate Uniform Areas
• More Precise Management
• GIS – Data Management
How to Get Needed Information?

13. Yield Monitoring and Data Management
• Yield Monitors with GPS
• GIS Programs

14. Remote and In-field Sensing
• Satellite Imagery
• Aerial Photography
• Electrical Conductivity (EC)
• In-field Infrared
• Chlorophyll Meters
• Crop Height Monitoring

15. Remote Sensing : Suitability and Accuracy
Google Earth NAIP – 1 meter
Satellite – 15-30 m Zone Maps

16. In-field Sensors vs. Remote Sensors
• Sensors on
Equipment
• Internal Light
Source
• Real-time

17. Sensor Field Operation
• Rate Determination:
• NDVI Value
• Compare NDVI to
Optimum Area
• Growing Degree Days
• Potential Yield
• Activate Rate Controller

18. Available Crop Sensors
• OptRx – Ag Leader
• CropSpec – Topcon
• GreenSeeker – Trimble
• Crop Circle – Holland Scientific

19. Research Results
• NDSU Oakes - Wheat
• Summary
• 40% N Applied at Planting
• Remainder Early Season
• Results
• Reduced Lodging
• Significant Yield Increase
• Increased Protein
• No Increase in Nitrogen

20. Research Results
• Indian Head Research Farm - Wheat and Canola
• Reduced N Use
• No Effect on Yield
• Pioneer - Corn
• Reduced N Fertilizer
• No Significant Effect on Yield
• Potential Issue: no rain after in-season application

21. Implications in Precision Agriculture
• Real-time Plant Fertilizer Requirements
• Maximize Yield
• Increased Use Efficiency - Reduce Total Application
• Early Yield Prediction
• Precision Desiccant Application
• Issues:
• Additional Application Costs
• Another Pass of Field
• Weather Issues Could Prevent Second Application

22. • Inventory of Nursery Tree Crops
• Crop Stress
• Livestock Observation
• Monitoring Rangeland Condition
• Issues:
• Issues of Operating in Airspace
• Time
• Image Processing Complexities
• Difficulty of Operation
Unmanned Aircraft

23. LiDAR Technology
• Light Detection And Ranging
• Optical Remote Sensing using Lasers
• Measuring Distance to Ground from Airplane
measures the time delay between transmission
of a pulse and detection of the reflected signal

24. Agriculture Applications
• Tile and Surface Drainage
• Topographic Layer for Precision Agriculture
• Road Construction
• Community Development

25. Red River Basin LiDAR Data
www.internationalwaterinstitute.org/lidar.htm

26. James River Basin
LiDAR Data
• Not Yet Available
• Likely from ND
Water Commission

27. Minnesota
LiDAR Data
ftp://lidar.dnr.state
.mn.us/

28. 3D View in Fugro Viewer

29. 2.5 Square Miles – West Fargo

30. 1 meter Contours

31. 0.1 meter Contours
0.81 meters
2.67 feet
32 inches

32. Telematics
• On-the-go Transfer of Data
• Remote Diagnostics , Error Codes
• Combine Threshing Efficiency
• Machine Location

33. Robotics in Agriculture
• Chemical Applications in Orchards
• Mechanical Weeding
• Autonomous Tractors
Spirit

34. Summary: Precision Ag Technologies
• GPS Guidance and Auto-steer
• Section Control on Sprayers
• Row Control on Planters and Seeders
• Yield Monitoring
• Remote Sensing
• In-field Sensing
• LiDAR
• Variable Rate Applications
• Telematics
• Robotics
• Data Management

35. Why Precision Agriculture?
• Maximize Profits
• Less Overlap
• Reduce Inputs
• Increase Yields
• Reduce Stress
• Protect Environment
• Feed 7 Billion People
Current World Population:
7,044,864,008
1804 1 billion
1850 1.2 billion
1900 1.6 billion
1927 2 billion
1950 2.55 billion
1955 2.8 billion
1960 3 billion
1965 3.3 billion
1970 3.7 billion
1975 4 billion
1980 4.5 billion
1985 4.85 billion
1987 5 billion
1990 5.3 billion
1995 5.7 billion
1999 6 billion
2000 6.1 billion
2005 6.45 billion
2010 6.8 billion
2011 7 billion

36. Questions - Comments
Office 701-231-8213 Cell 701-261-9842
John.Nowatzki@ndsu.edu
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/agmachinery